National Energy Policy

National policies to improve energy efficiency can reduce oil imports, improve the reliability of the U.S. electric grid, save consumers money, reduce air pollution, create jobs, and reduce prices. The opportunities for realizing these energy efficiency savings are distributed throughout many end-uses, from manufacturing systems to transportation choices to home appliances. Federal policies that promote efficient investment in each sector and end-use are critical to tackling climate change, economic development, and job creation. In addition, federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provide essential nationwide energy efficiency programs, like the labeling program ENERGY STAR and the data gathering work at the Energy Information Administration.

Many states are struggling to recover from a recession, meet budget shortfalls, and lower unemployment rates. At the same time, states must take action to comply with a number of federal air regulations. Proactive states can use energy efficiency to address all of these policy goals with a simple three-step solution.

Over the next decade a host of federal air regulations will update limits on the emissions of multiple pollutants from stationary sources such as power plants and industrial facilities. These air regulations create a demand for low-cost and...

Energy efficiency measures have been proven by many analyses to be the most cost-effective and fast-track way to address global climate change while reducing energy usage and more affordably expanding the use of renewable energy sources. In...

The federal government can advance energy efficiency by funding programs through the appropriations process. The federal government funds numerous energy efficiency programs run out of a handful of agencies, including the Department of Energy (...

Investor-owned utilities (private companies with ownership shares held by stockholders) serve the majority of electricity and natural gas customers in the United States. These utilities are primarily regulated at the state level, where public...

The value of energy efficiency in properly implemented construction standards is universally recognized as the easiest and most cost-effective way to help consumers save energy and money, make housing more affordable, and reduce air pollution. All...

Minimum efficiency standards for residential appliances and lighting have been one of the most successful policies used by states and the federal government to save energy. Appliance efficiency standards prohibit the production and import or sale...

America' existing housing stock offers tremendous opportunities for energy savings. However, capturing this savings potential within the established structure of the home improvement market has proven to be quite a challenge. Homeowners...

Fuel economy standards for light-duty vehicles have improved dramatically in recent years. The original Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for cars were adopted in 1975 and went unchanged for 35 years.
On April 1st, 2010 the U.S...

Tax reform provides us with an opportunity to remove current barriers to efficiency investments and to use the tax code as a tool to support future energy efficiency. The challenge is in proposing policies that encourage energy...

In recent years the U.S. Congress has largely been at a stalemate, though several bills have either been proposed or are being pursued by the administration or the legislature. These proposals provide the opportunity for the U.S. to realize the...

National policies to improve energy efficiency help ensure that the U.S. is using its energy resources most effectively, thereby saving billions of dollars for taxpayers and consumers, while also creating jobs, improving energy reliability, and...

Over the years, there have been many bills containing amendments and provisions to improve energy efficiency. Below are several examples of proposed legislation that were not passed by Congress.
American Power Act of 2010
The American Power Act of...

ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency
in Buildings - 2014

Overview / Mission

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. We believe that the United States can harness the full potential of energy efficiency to achieve greater economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection for all its people.